Book hanger



Marh 7, 1939. J. H. THORNTON 'BOOK HANGER Filed Marh 25, 1938 Patented Mar. 7, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFECE Application March 25,

6 Claims.

My invention relates to book hangers and certain objects of the invention are to provide a book hanger consisting of a book cover member secured to an upright back member with a flexible strap connected to the cover member and cooperatively engaging the back member, together with means for detachably connecting a book to the back member between the cover member, whereby the weight of the device and the book, when suspended by the llexible strap, causes the book and cover to normally remain in a closed position when not in use, and to automatically close the book and cover after each use of the book, thus providing means for protecting books that are in constant use from much wear and tear.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the lnvention consists of the novel construction, adaptation, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed. These objects are accomplished by devices illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective showing the device supporting a book which is partly broken away.

Figure 2 is a view in perspective of the device with the book cover member removed.

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken along the line 3--3 of Figure 1 and showing one means whereby the flexible supporting strap may be connected to the book cover member.

Figure 4 is a detail view in horizontal section taken on a broken line 4--4 of Figure l, with the book closed.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, showing a modified construction.

Referring in detail to the drawing throughout which like reference numerals indicate like parts, the numeral 5 designates an upright back member that is preferably made of a stiff piece of metal slightly narrower than the back of a thick book such as a dictionary which is to be supported thereby, as shown in Figure 1. The top portion of said back member is bent at right angles to provide a comparatively long bracket arm 6 and intermediate its length the arm is bent, as shown at 6a, to provide the arm with an upwardly oiTset portion 6b having a hole 1 through its free end. By so forming the arm 6 it will be prevented from striking a desk or table from which the book holderv is suspended. The bottom portion of said back member is likewise bent to form a short lip 8 having holes 9 therethrough. In the arm 6 are formed holes Ill which are alned with the 193s, serial No. 198,159

(ci. 12e-as) holes 9 and through selected ones of the holes 9 and Il) is engaged a rod II formed of a strand of resilient wire and having its upper end bent to form an eye Ila and its lower end loosely engaged through the selected hole 9 of the arm This permits adjustment of the rod to t the book. A plurality of holes I2 are provided in spaced apart relation through the back member 5.

A book cover member I3 has its back portion secured to the rear side of the back member 5 by means of rivets lli passing through the holes I2. Said cover is of slightly greater length than the back strip or bar' 5. A exible strap or cord I5 has its ends flattened, as shown at |50!r and secured in the upper edge portions of the cover on both sides by means of rivets I6, as shown in Figure 3. The loop portion of said strap is brought together and passed upwardly through the hole 1 in the bracket arm 6. A metal ring I'l is secured in said loop and prevents same from slipping back through said hole in addition to permitting the book carrier and book to be suspended from a hook.

In use, the spring wire II is sprung upwardly and outwardly from the hole 9. A book I8 is then slipped upwardly into place with its back against the back member 5 and with said wire extending downwardly between its centrally divided leaves. The wire is then sprung outwardly, as shown in dotted lines at I9 in Figure 1, by raising its lower end upwardly. Said lower end is then passed through the hole 9 in the lower lip 8 and when it is released it will spring vertically into place with its lower end projecting below the lip, thus holding the book securely in place against the back member 5 with the bottom of the book resting on the lip 9 and its top disposed directly below the arm 6. The device may then be hung against a wall by catching the ring Il on a hook or nail driven into the wall and, by its own weight, the exible strap I5 will normally draw the cover member I3 and the book I8 to the closed position shown in dotted lines in Figure l. When the book is used it is lifted up by one hand, thus taking its weight 01T of the strap I5 and creating slack in said strap so that the book may be opened to any desired page with the other hand.

In Figure 5 there has been shown a modified construction wherein the device is adapted to receive and hold a thin book or pamphlet I9. In this embodiment of the invention the thin book is not only engaged by the resilient wire rod II but also by a resilient clip 20. A single elongated clip formed of resilient sheet metal may be used and secured to the bar 5 by the rivets I4 or a The device is particularly suited for use in con-V nection with telephone, classified advertising and other like books which are constantly consulted. It normally retains a book in the closed position when not in use and automatically closes the book after each time it is used, thus protecting books from Wear and tear and effecting a material saving in the cost of renewing worn out books. Y

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. A book hanger comprising a back member, a book cover member secured to the back member and having foldable sides, means for holding a book to the back member between the foldable sides of the cover member, and a flexible strap having its ends connected to the foldable sides,

said strap being slidably connected to the back member whereby the weight of the back and cover members causes the foldable sides to close when the device is suspended by the strap.

2. A book hanger comprising a back member, a bracket arm formed on an end of the back member and having a hole therein, a book cover member secured to the back member and having foldable sides, means for holding a book to the back member between the foldable sides of the cover member, and a iiexible strap having its ends connected to the foldablesides and forming a loop, said loop passing through the hole in the bracket arm whereby the weight of the back and cover members causes the foldable sides to close when the device is suspended by the strap.

3. A book hanger comprising a back member, a bracket arm formed on an end of the back member and having a hole therein, a lip formed on the other end of the back member and having a hole therein, a spring wire having one end connected to said arm and the other end passing loosely through the hole in the lip, a cover member secured to the back member and having foldable sides, and a flexible strap having its ends connected to the foldable sides and forming a loop, said loop passing through the hole in the bracket arm whereby the weight of the back and cover members causes the foldable sides to close when the device is suspended by said loop.

4. A book hanger comprising a back member, a bracket arm for said back member having an opening therein, a book cover member secured to said back member and having foldable sides, means carried by said back member for holding a book between the foldable sides of the cover member, a flexible hanger having its end portions secured to the sides of said cover member and its intermediate portion constituting a loop passing through the opening of the bracket arm, and an eye carried by said loop and constituting means for suspending the hanger from an overhead support and also means for preventing disengagement of the loop from the bracket arm.

5. A book hanger comprising a back member consisting of a st rip having its lower end portion bent to form a lip and its upper end portion bent to form an arm disposed over said lip, said arm being bent intermediate its length to dispose its Yfree end portion in an upwardly offset position, the free end portion of said arm having an opening therein, a rod extending between said arm and lip and having its upper end loosely connected with the arm and its lower end removably engaged through said lip, a book cover member secured to said back member and having foldab-le sides, and a exible hanger having its ends secured to the sides oi said cover member and its intermediate portion constituting a loop passing upwardly through the opening in said arm.

6. A book hanger comprising a back member consting of a strip having its lower end portion bent to form a lip and its upper end portion bent I to form an arm disposed over said lip, said arm being bent intermediate its length to dispose its free end portion in an upwardly offset position, the free end portion of said arm having an opening therein, the arm and lip being formed with a plurality of alined holes, a resilient book engaging rod extending between the arm and lip and having its upper end formed with an eye loosely engaged through selected ones of the holes in said arm and its lower end adapted to be removably engaged through a selected one of the holes in said lip, a book cover member secured to said back member and having foldable sides, and a flexible hanger secured at its ends to the sides of said cover member and its intermediate portion constituting a suspension loop passing upwardly through the opening in said arm.

JOSEPH H. THORNTON. 

